What Comes in Time
by S.J.Fortune
Summary: Emma, a 20-year-old, dreams of escaping the city; she books a cruise. It was going well...until the boat overturned in a storm. Five people wash on shore. Now, she must learn the ways of farming. Will she learn to love it and maybe even find love? 1st POV
1. Chance Encounter

**(Author's Note)** This is my first fan-fic - I'm so excited! I'm hoping I can successfully transition myself into this. I've been searching around for do's and don't's and then the tabs for the author and such. I have to say I don't like the feeling of being lost. But, hey, everyone must go through it right?

I want to take this chance to explain my reasoning from renaming Chelsea to Emma. Well you know how you can name your character in the game? I named her Emma. It might be confusing but when I was writing the chapter (I originally had it in second person before trying something new and putting it in first), I kept misspelling Chelsea and sometimes even writing Emma in it's place. I apologize. Just think Chelsea's appearance when reading this. I even debated putting Claire in the story and watching the people say, "she's not in Island of Happiness!" Hehehe, I'm so mean. ;] Well I hope my first chapter pleases you and makes you want to cheer me on. Read and review and even message me with ideas and suggestions. Always loved!

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Harvest Moon. I am merely making my own story from a game I love.

* * *

_o1) Chance Encounter_

The air was so salty. I could almost have gone into a coughing fit if I had breathed in too much; I could feel the scratching in the back of my throat. It might not have sounded to pleasant to some, but I was enjoying this. It was a fifty-thousand-gold cruise; it better have been worth it. But was it! So far, a week into my journey, there wasn't much I could complain about. Unless you pointed out how if I left my drink on the table, one tilt knocked it down. But, I couldn't be too picky. It was a boat. I knew boats rocked.

My name is Emma. After high school was over, I took a job at my grandfather's insurance company. I grew up learning the ways of this job. I took a few classes for college and soon worked my way into a stable position. It brought in a lot of money, but it was because work had been my life. I wasn't able to go out as much. Home was something I only saw fleetingly heading to the bathroom and bed on the week days after a long week of staring at a computer screen and the weekends were my only lounging days. It was no wonder that soon I grew to despise the crowded streets and the loud noise. All of it gave me a growing headache and it had now burst.

I never had been one for spontaneity which is why even I was shocked when I came up with the idea of this trip. But I was glad I did. Even now, sipping my bubbly strawberry soda and looking over the clear aqua of the ocean waters. Yes, I was so happy. I could already feel the pain in my hands ease with the escape of having to enter all those e-mails and type all that time and my head itself was clearer. How could it be that I have been "alive" the four year and still feel like you did nothing? It all felt a blur.

This, now this was more like it. A sighed out contently, closing my eyes - chin upwards - basking in the sun's rays and the spays of water that tickled my face as the ship sailed on. As one such spray hit my face, I even giggled joyously, moving the back of my left hand to wipe my cheek. I can't help it, all I could think about was how much more peaceful this was. I loved it. It was just me on this ship with all the people enjoying the quiet I was worshipping. The smells of the sea and chlorine for the pool of deck, the sights of the ocean with the dolphins flying about, and the faint sound of someone barfing…wait, what?

"My god, Elliot, what is wrong with you? It's just a little rock - like a crib," a woman's voice chastised someone names Elliot and the sound floated into my right ear.

I look over to spy a pinkish haired man clenching the railings so much his knuckles were white. His head hung down over the side. "I c-an't he-lp it," he said between breaths that cut off a few of his words, "it just-" This time another hurl cut off his words. I flinched away from the sight. I felt bad, I really did. It must have been horrible being on a trip and finding out you were seasick.

The girl, I found while studying the poor scene, had pink hair just like the boy named Elliot who had been near the girl who was badgering him. Her hands were on her hips, looking annoyed - as if she were some babysitter with an annoyed child. This sight of a intimidating figure hovering over a person who was obviously suffering put a damper on even my mood. I opened my mouth but what was I going to do? I wasn't one to just put in on something I obviously had no part in.

There was a tapping of feet behind me and a young looking woman maybe in her late forties or early forties rushed to the two; she had pink hair, just like the others. "Here, here's some cucumber juice and crackers. Elliot, here. This will settle your stomach," the woman fretted.

I guessed she was there mother, it seemed like an easy guess. Then the one making him feel bad would have been his sister. Behind me, a man moved to the group as well. The man was old with a balding head. "Don't baby 'im! He has to shape up and be a man!" He exclaimed in a voice of self importance and authority. What a family, eh? I continued to watch as there was bickering and laughs but the more I watched, the less I took in.

The boy named Elliot did take the food and drink. He seemed to feel a little better after the hurl of whatever contents was in his stomach earlier but he was still considerably pale. Soon, my interest in other people waned and I turned my eyes to view the peace of the nature. This time I was shocked to see the horizon. In said horizon, I saw a build-up of dark clouds.

"Hmm," I mumbled to myself, tilting my head. "Those are some dark clouds. Guess there will be some rain tonight…" With that, I took my drink and went up the top deck to lounge on the chairs. Later I would excuse myself from a few people to my room all the while not knowing my fate was to be compromised.

* * *

**(Another Author's Note)** I was considering adding more, but I'll put it into the next one. Which I will start after I finish a paper…or even while. I think I need to catch up on the recipes. I think cucumber juice was one? I don't know. I thought, however, it would be better than saying Sprite. And, you have to admit, it's much more amusing. Well, until next time! Toodles~


	2. Lady Goddess Luck

**(A/N)** A little bigger then the first, isn't it? I wanted to make sure I got as much into it as I could. It might just be me but it seems weird not to introduce Vaughn in the beginning but what can you do? What I enjoy the most is coming up with the titles. Too bad I come up with snazzy sayings _before_ I even have the chapter! Maybe that's why I'm having trouble adding fillers or "sightings" of the soon-to-be love interest. But now I'm just rambling. Please read and tell me what you think. Reviews are nice, private messages with thoughts and idea are also loved. You know, the basic stuff. Until next time! Toodles.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of Harvest Moon. I'm just a faithful fan. :'3**

* * *

_o2) Lady Goddess Luck_

There was a definite lurch in the boat that aroused me from what had been a peaceful slumber lulled by what once was calm waters. Who knows how long the waves had been picking up in intensity. All that was known that on one such violent toss angled the boat tilted enough for me, who is a heavy sleeper mind you, to roll out of the bed. In the crossfire, I bonked my head on the dresser that was bolted to the floor.

"Ow! Owowowowowowie!" I yelped out of her sleepy stupor and rubbed my hurt head.

It took me awhile to realize that there was a commotion outside the door. I sat sprawled on the floor and kept my upper body up with my hands. There was very distinctive shouts outside. You would think that with a good week of a decent amount of peace and quiet, I would have noticed the volume close to that of a city. Maybe I had grown so used to it I blocked out everything close to it?

"Hurry! Hurry!" A rushed voice called from somewhere off in the distance. His voice was muffled by the walls around me. "It's taking on water!"

Wait, what? What was taking on water? What about water? Suddenly something cold touched my exposed feet and the smell of salt tickled my senses once more. Looking down, I found the source. Water was leaking from the crack between the door and the floor. Water was seeping in, filling the room with water. From the shock, I pressed my body further against the dresser that had once been my enemy. As the waves of water grew in quantity, I used the object to pull myself up to save myself from getting close.

My eyes, I was sure, were likely to be the size of quarters as I peered down at my feet. I had gone down for a nap, not realizing I had been so tired which was why I was out of my shoes but not my day clothes. I kept staring, watching the clear water creep closer over the dark wood, cover my feet, and retreat. Trance-like, I kept observing this pattern with intensity. It was the remembrance of those shouts combined with the new ones becoming higher in volume that brought me back.

The cabin was filling with water…the…boat…the boat was taking on water!

Another lurch and I lost my footing and stumbled forward. Not even halfway to the other side and the boat rocked back in a quick manner and I flew backwards. My back hit the wall, my already bruising head took yet another beating. More shouting from outside, some screams, rushing footsteps. Nothing like this had ever happened to me. It was only something I had seen in movies. However, survival instincts took over. I tore after the door right when the boat lunged again. I hit the wall.

If I was in the right state of mind, I would have laughed at this twist in fate. Going out for a relaxing vacation only to become part of a brand new version of Titanic only in a warmer climate. But with the crashing thunder now booming overhead and the thrashing boat acting like a kid during a temper-tantrum, I just couldn't do anything. In other words, I was scared. I had every right to be.

Outside of the cabin proved to be more chaotic than my own room. Many people were running about; most hoarding around what I guessed to be the many life rafts I saw earlier tha trip. By the way people were pushing it only validated my guess. Disorientated, I stumbled as I made my way over there. I remember I was hanging onto the railing, my arms more or less the ones keeping me from crashing onto the slippery floor. All I had to do was get over there. All I had to do was make it over there and everything would be taken care of. That's what my mind told me. My mind might have been right but it did not seem to be that easy. My footing was already compromised so when the boat tugged again, a found myself falling over the ledge and into the cold embrace of the water…

I was sinking and sinking fast. It weird how it took precious moment to realize the easiest of things. Like drowning. That's what I was doing, right? That's what was going to happen. I was going to drown. Wasn't I? The dark waters surrounded me and I could barely see a foot in front of me. The salt filled my screaming mouth and burned my eyes; I closed them. If I was going to die, at least it could be a little more comfortable and not taste so much salt. Ah, but again, I was asking too much.

My mind slowed in pace until I thought of nothing. Call it "making peace with my short life." There then was a giggle emerging from somewhere off in the distance. It was a low, hearty chuckle, uninterrupted by the water. Which was odd in itself. I opened my eyes, trying to ignore the stinging. In front of my eyes I could see my hair swirling in front of me. It was brown, I knew from memory. However, between the breaks in my hair I swore I saw something green whiz by, like that of a head of bleached seaweed and much more vibrant than my own hair. I might have been seeing things. That was the only thing I could think about.

"It's okay, dear," something spoke. It was a chiming voice. And there was that soft chuckle. "It's okay."

The voice still continued to penetrate the water. I concluded that it must have been a voice of my head, maybe my subconscious was trying to comfort me in the death that would follow; to make the transition easier. Well, whatever it was, I submitted and let the darkness take over. The last thing I remembered was the feel of hands or something wrap around me…

- - -

My throat was so sore. I coughed and a bunch of water gushed out which only made the burning worse. Something or someone moved me onto my side and I felt it pat my back. The water continued to come out and it was then that I could hear my own cough. It sounded horse and insistent. Even I was getting annoyed with it. However, whoever (or whatever) was patting my back did not let up and continued to console me until, finally, it stopped.

"There, there," said a kind voice.

I groaned, moving my hand to my head and pulling my wet brown hair from my face. With my face free from those blasted clumps, I turned to the source of the noise. Even with my eyes opened, my vision was botched. But I could see the outline of a cheery face framed with a color of pink. My eyes soon adjusted to the bright color with every blink. My senses returned and thereafter noticed the sensation against my skin - a warmth of the sun. Good, so the light wasn't the path to heaven. I groaned again, looking again to the figure who was resting my head on their lap. This time I could see, looking down at me, a very relieved woman. With further scrutiny, I realized that I recognized her; she had been the mother of the two by the railing of the boat. They had been on the boat too. Oh!

"I'm so glad to see you've come to, we were all worried." When I tried to lurch up, she gently nudged me down. "There, there - you must take it easy, hmm?"

I still felt like I couldn't talk, so I obliged her with only a nod and my gaze moved elsewhere.

"How is she?" After a moment of resting, I soon heard yet another voice coming somewhere above my head. This time it was a low male's voice. My eyes moved up. Huh, the old guy. Where was the rest?

"Fine," the pink haired lady said like I wasn't still there, "she just woke up...coughed up a lot of water...her throat's pretty sore. Where's Natalie and Elliot?"

Either she was drifting out of her words, or I was the one drifting out of focus and only hearing bits and peices of her words.

The man moved closer, his feet crunching on the sand. He had shoes on; I wiggled my toes - barefoot. "I had Natalie scope out the parts of the island that are easily accessible. There seems to be about three decaying homes right off the beach. It seems like there are other areas to the left and right but you can't get to them. Natalie went to check up farther. I sent Elliot to find some wood. With the storm, it'll be hard to find anything that had time to dry." After his explanation, he kneeled down close to me. It made me feel uneasy but I felt too weak to push myself up. "How are ya feeling?"

Gazing over to the pink haired lady, she smiled. After a pause, I swallowed, looked back at him, and went about trying to speak. "A…a…a…l-ittle s-sore."

Despite how scary I found this situation, you know the whole almost dying thing, he chuckled a bit. "I bet! You seem to have taken a beating from the boat and the waves. You're lucky, you know? You just popped out from the waves next to the plank of wood we were floating on. The Goddess must have been smiling fairly upon you."

I stared blankly at him and turned my blue eyes to the girl whose lap I still used as a pillow. She nodded in confirmation. "You were very lucky, dear."

At that moment, the other pink haired girl, the one that had been chastising the boy suffering from sea sickness walked up. Behind her, another head rounded a corner. It was none other than the boy from the railing. He had glasses, I saw now that I got a good look at his face. The boy I knew to be Elliot was carrying an armful of twigs. He was having trouble, though, because some of the smaller ones kept finding an exit out and he would jumble the rest in his arms trying to catch it. Whenever one would fall, she'd curse something about how useless he was and pick it up and carrying it. When they reached us, he dropped the lumber into a pile before looking over at me and smiled. He had a comforting smile, it was a shy, sort of book-wormy way. "Ah, I see. You're awake. We were worried for a while there."

"Yeah," the sister said before turning to the older gentleman (their grandfather maybe?), "so that one road? Yeah, it's to some kind of farm."

The man brightened. It was hard to see, what with the mustache and his face having what seemed like a variation of the same one expression, but it was there. "Ah, it brings me back…I'll have to see it," he trailed off but soon grew quiet, looking around. "It seems like we'll be stuck here for awhile. Maybe we'll be able to use the homes for shelter. But it seems like there's only one house that would be strong enough. One storm and I think the others would collapse."

Still keeping me out of the discussion, the sister nodded. "I checked out the farm. That one home, though small, might be suitable. If we just spruce up the two, it'll be able to sustain."

I felt now that I could hold my own weight. With little strain, I pulled myself into a seating position. It was than that they seemed to notice me once more. I put on a smile. "I'll take the farm. It's smaller, right? You have four people. It's just me so I'll take the smaller shelter." I would have felt weird staying with them, anyways. Though, I'd never tell them that. "I'm Emma by the way." It dawned on me that I didn't know anyone but Elliot, and even then I only knew because of the encounter the day before.

"Emma? What a wonderful name," the mother cooed. She seemed to be the loving motherly type.

"I'm Taro and this is my family. My daughter, Felicia," he pointed to the "mother," "and my grandchildren: Elliot and Natalie. Why don't we head over to the homes and see what we can do to fix them up tonight."

I nodded and in that moment, I smiled. Lady Luck, whoever she was, had smiled kindly upon me. I was alive.


	3. Piling On Up!

(A/N) After a rather…long break - it's here! Those who can - like - post every day, I bow to you. But S.J is back!...So, I decided to put this in a weird format. Only because when I wrote the second one, wondering how to fit it in neatly. The only thing that I came up with is a sort of jumbled "journal." …I don't know. It sounded kind of cool…in my mind. I'm such a dork!

But finally! Something important in the author's notes. I'm still trying to figure out FanFic so it took me two days when I finally find I had my first review. So thank you, thank you to Nirak for giving me my first positive review. It was much loved~ Also thanks to everyone else for giving something to make me smile!

I'm pushing things back a little. Normally the father and son come earlier and the rest as well…but…yeah. Not happening here. But - meh - it's not that bad to have a few tweaks, right?

* * *

Spring 5th:

I can't believe this happened, that was all I could think about for the few days spent at that island. From the first day that I awoke on the lap of the kind motherly figure, Felicia, I helped the family - with little complaint - to help set up two homes to be suitable for sleeping. We started with there's.

After that afternoon, we went to the farm house. Whatever caused this island to be evacuated, must not have been intentional. Most of the buildings were fully furnished. While depressing compared to my penthouse-styled apartment in the city, the home was sturdy and quite intact unlike theirs. All mine needed was a nice scrub down but their's needed patching up and fixing up.

For the first few days, we were taking extra furniture from my for-the-time-being home to theirs. They had been taken care of me through everything and with them being a family, they needed more than me, the outsider. Besides that, we rummage around the ruins of old homes, taken decaying boards and nearly rusted nails to cover the holes torn through the structure.

During this time I got to know Elliot and Natalie. Natalie was a little hard to like with the fact that she was a little pushy and a bit stand-offish. Elliot, on the other hand, was a sweetheart and was willing to help me out seeing as I was the weakest link among the five of us.

There wasn't much to eat there but some herbs and seaweed that grew down at the beach. So everyday one of us would take the day to go looking for food. Besides herbs, there was fish. Taro found a fishing rod somewhere. I found I had a knack for it and went about fishing. It was nice to just sit against all the greenery with the sounds of distant pounding and the swish of the creek. And that tiny prick of a fish on the line…it was something I never thought I'd be proud of. I didn't much like the taste of the food, but I wasn't picky when I was so hungry. I worked all day and went to bed exhausted. It was a lot of work and each day, I made it a point to stay away from the beach that brought me here as much as a could. The rest said they understood.

By the end of the fourth full day of being stranded, we all had been through so much. I really felt like we had bonded and, maybe I was the only one, but I felt like I was a part of their close-knit family.

Spring 6th

A boat came by today. Supposedly those that floated away on the rafts landed in a city who then told the story which landed upon sturdy ears of a merchant. That merchant, who knew Taro's family was on that boat, was extremely worried and went about trying to find him. Another twist of fate: he did. His son and him, I later learned to be Charlie and Chen landed on the beach dock about noon today while Elliot was collecting seaweed and doing the fishing that I refused to do.

Taro had said that he wanted to try the sea fish and asked me to go. I think he was trying to help me cope with what happened but I wasn't ready. It was a pretty bad storm and…maybe it's just me…but wouldn't someone fear what almost killed them? It's silly, I know, but my mind keeps replaying it. Anyways Elliot stepped up to stop Taro's badgering. Later, Elliot came back with the two.

Chen was so relieved to have found them and offered to bring them back. I later found out that Felicia and Taro were moving to Chen's neighborhood because they no longer liked the conditions of their homes. With Taro being older, he couldn't like it smug-infested places; Chen's country-type town was the best for him. However, they turned down the offer.

"It's great that you stopped by," Taro said, in the important-like tone he always had, "but I've grown to like it here. I think it has potential. Maybe we could, with you being a merchant, make a deal?" Chen thought about it and agreed. "…However, Emma here might wish to get out."

It was difficult. I mean, I could go home if I went with him. But as much as I would rather have been in a better situation with food and shelter, I rather liked the nature. So, yeah, I wish I had shoes and change of clothes. And I would not have minded a cheeseburger instead of fish and herbs…but I wanted quiet and this was all but quiet. Besides, Taro and them needed me. So…I declined. Just like that.

Chen sailed away later that day promising to be back within a week. He said he'd set up some kind of income for us and even promised to come back with some shoes for me and a change of clothes for all of us with the money we'd get with the herbs we gave him to sell.

Spring 10th

Chen came back and I finally changed into a pair of Capri pants, a tank top, and a button-up shirt to go over it. Of course, he also had shoes for me. The were a pair of flip flops. All were a bit baggy but they weren't too big and I was grateful for everything. He didn't come empty handed for himself, though. What I mean to say, he decided to move in and open his shop there as he had closed it in the city.

Before he came, it was decided that I would farm. I was going in a bit blind but I had the tools I needed and Taro was taking a little bit of the time we had from the chores to teach me the basics until Chen arrived where we bought a pack of turnips and planted them on the corner of the land next to the river for easy access to the river water. Every morning I would water them, minus one day every week.

Spring 11th

It rained today. I didn't have to water which helped with my time. I didn't have a rain jacket so I spent time huddled in Elliot and their home. The roof leaked and we made due with buckets and pails. When changing one bucket, a long stream trickled over Elliot's hair. We all had a good laugh.

This place is so beautiful even when it's raining. How could anyone want to leave this place?

Spring 15th

Our little town just keeps growing it seems. On the fourteenth, this man named Gannon arrived at my door when I was eating breakfast of grilled fish and toast (we still didn't have much, I would have to choke down fish for a little more.) He said that he had broke down the bolder that blocked the area to the right of the town and was going to be the carpenter. Taro and I combined the money we had to pay for a fix-up on his home and buy me a chicken pen. I still didn't have a sizeable income and was still "under Taro's wing."

On the fifteenth, another group came. A woman by the name of Mirabelle and her daughter, Julia arrived. They sold livestock. Taro gave me a chicken the day that the coop was built. I was so happy. I feel like I'm doing my best. With the money I earned from herbs, I bought a month's worth of chicken feed.

Now that I had a chick, I believe I can soon start making money on my own. I'm hoping to use the incubator to make even more little chickens. Later on, I'll think about getting a barn. Wouldn't that be better?

Spring 21st

I met someone new today! Julia was out when I was walking around. She said they had hired an animal handler. I was so happy to know this!…But when I met him, he was rather, how do you say it?, stand offish. All I wanted to do was to welcome him here! But he just brushed me off saying he had too much work to even consider spending time of trivial things such as talking. Rude, much? I know.

If I wasn't so stung at his words, I would have been angry. Needless to say, I just sulked off to talk to people that were at least friendly to me. I, however, was really polite and fake-cheerful as I made my leave.

The man's name was Vaughn and he had this whole moody cowboy image going on for him. But you should see the way he is with the animals. He is like a new person. Still, diary, he could be a tab bit nice to people though.

Pout.


End file.
